Good Day! As always, I hope this finds you in good health and cheer and your hubby and his mates doing well on deployment. This segment is full of information that will over a long period of time save you money, and more importantly help prevent those trying times when the car let’s you down.
Some you may have some fear of things mechanical, and that’s all right so long as you don’t let it control you’re actions. Some fear of you car engine is actually a bit helpful. If you keep it as a respect for what can be a dangerous part of the tool at hand. So before I start explaining the maintenance you need to do let me give you some important safety tips.
- Do not open the hood of your car while the engine is running. Every engine compartment has at least a few unshielded moving parts, they are traps for jewelry, loose fitting clothes, long hair, and fingers. The result of getting something caught in these moving parts is usually what is referred to by Medical Professions is “Traumatic Amputation” of finger hand or other appendage. What it means in fact is having a finger cut off by and instrument with say the sharpness of a crowbar. Trust me on this one you can not wrap your mind around that sort of pain. Only trained professionals should be working on your engine while it is running.
- 2. Open the hood of your car only when children are safely in their car seats or buckled up inside the car, or safely in the house. Toddlers and Children under 10 have a tendency to put their hands on things they see then touch their mouths, eyes, or siblings; this can lead to burns on a hot engine, and transferring things like engine oil, or battery acid to whatever they touch. Keep the kids away and keep them safe.
Now that we have that done; here is a list of things that you can do to prolong the life of your car while hubby is away.
- Check the oil at least once a month, more often (say every other fuel stop) if the oil is low but not low enough to add any.
- Check your tire pressure weekly; don’t forget to check your spare tire too.
- Check your windshield wipers at each use. Once they start streaking change them.
- Check and add to your windshield washer fluid monthly.
- Have the car serviced and oil changed when due. The way you find this information is in your owner’s manual. Usually in Chapter 4.
- Keep your car clean, weekly washing at the drive through car wash is probably adequate. Give it a Wax every couple of months or at least when the seasons change. If you want to save some pennies do it in the drive way on a sunny Saturday or Sunday afternoon. This is one where you can get the kids involved and face it with suds, and a hose, the opportunity to have some fun as well.
These five steps can extend the life of your car by tens of thousands of miles; and think of the pride when your hubby gets back and you do one of these tasks out of habit when he’s around.
Now you’re asking yourself, OK how am I supposed to do all that stuff? I don’t know anything about it the engine compartment looks like a bunch of belts and spaghetti to me. Well I have posted a video link here to you tube that gives you the power. It is a series produced by AllState and it covers the territory well. This one is about checking your oil. Watch them all and learn, plus download them to your IPOD or I-phone or Blackberry and keep them with you. Review them just before you try it the first time and once in a while there after till you’re comfortable.
That covers it for today, I hope you are finding this useful and as always I encourage your feedback thru the comments. Tomorrow is the final in this series , Emergency Actions….
